The present invention relates to a method and device for setting a distance between rims in a tire uniformity machine.
In a tire uniformity machine, a tire is mounted through upper and lower rims between upper and lower spindles, and the tire is rotated about an axis of the upper and lower rims aligned to each other, so a to carry out measurement by pressing a loadwheel against the tire.
In the case that another tire having a size different from that of the tire mounted on the upper and lower rims is intended to be mounted on the upper and lower rims, it is necessary to set a distance between the upper and lower rims again in accordance with the different tire.
To automate such a setting operation, there has been proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 1-155234 that a rim exchanging carriage is used to automatically change the distance between the upper and lower rims.
However, in the prior art device, when the distance between the upper and lower rims is changed, a thickness of a spacer is changed according to the distance, and the upper and lower rims are then fixed to the upper and lower spindles. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the spacers from the upper and lower spindles for the exchange of the spacers. Thus, although the operation is automatic, the procedure of the operation is very complicated to require much time.